Today we are going to take a closer look at a one-year old cooling system from Vantec which superior quality and significant performance reserve proved highly efficient not only for the LGA775 and Socket 939, but also the new Socket AM2 platform from AMD. Read more about it in our detailed review.

Pump and Expansion Tank

The pump and the expansion tank are combined into a single unit in this liquid cooling system. They are installed on a single plastic base with four suction cups so that you could fix it on any horizontal surface (inside the computer case, for example) with some degree of reliability.

A Hydro Seltz L20 II pump is included into the kit. It is a widespread device which is powered from a 220VAC power source (a 100VAC version of the pump is included into the U.S. version of the Stingray STG-100). With such a high voltage, the pump outperforms most other solutions. Its performance is about 700 liters per hour and its head pressure is 1.35 meters. You should be aware that the pump consumes quite a lot of power (in comparison with other pumps) at 14W, but this is not much against the power consumption of today’s CPUs and graphics cards.

Since the pump is powered from the electricity mains, a special power cord is included with it. The cord is supposed to be connected inline with the PSU power cord. In other words, the pump is always alive, and you need to additionally connect it to any free fan connector on your mainboard so that the pump was turned on the moment you turn on your computer.

The noise level of the pump is moderate. It is not exactly silent, but its sound does not irritate. Its vibration is weak and is fully suppressed by the rubber feet.

The expansion tank placed nearby is a translucent plastic cylinder with a capacity of about 0.8 liters. The liquid in the tank is highlighted with blinking blue and red LEDs, so if you are prone to fits of dizziness, avoid putting this pump/tank thing within your view.

The tank is filled with liquid through the threaded cap. The hole you pour liquid in is about 65 millimeters in diameter, so you are unlikely to miss it even if your hands are shaking. In the worst case, you can use the included funnel, though.